New Years resolutions for 2013

So Christmas 2012 is done and its time to reflect on the past year and look forward to all the excitement that 2013 has to offer. It’s around this time that we all start thinking about the New Year so I thought I’d make a few resolutions, that I promise I’ll be trying my best to stick to! I thought by putting my resolutions on here, where you can all read them, I’d force myself to make as much effort as possible with them.

So then, with only a few days left of 2012, here are my New Years resolutions.

1.  Blog more – I haven’t posted as frequently as I’d have liked this year, if fact my blog has been a little neglected. So in 2013 I’m going to be posting once a week at the very least.

2.  Make more – I’m sure we are all guilty of this, so when I see things and say, “I could make that”, I should actually make it. I’m not going to just look at wonderful creations on Pinterest and do nothing about them. I have made a board on Pinterest dedicated to this so I have no excuse!

3. Get fit – This is a biggie for next year and I am sure this is one which appears on most resolution lists. I’m going to start training, get into better shape, with the goal of completing a half marathon at some point next year!

4.  Raise money for charity – I will get sponsored for the half marathon. Job done.

5.  Make more of an effort to see friends who live far away – This is Britain; you can get literally anywhere in just a few hours, so there is no excuse for this one.

6.  Get my articles published on more blogs and design industry sites – I’d quite like a mini publishing empire!

7. Interact more with fellow designers – We’re a great little online community, and I think in 2013 we could really forge some strong ties, in order to spread and share ideas, so that we can all make the most of social media.

8. Find a work/life balance with which I’m truly happy – I love my work and I love spending time with my family, and although it can be a bit of a plate spinning act at times, I’m going to work hard to get the most out of both.

9. Get more sleep! – I think we can all relate to this one.

10. Stick to my resolutions! – Ok, so this one might seem like a bit of a cheat, but I’m trying to make absolutely sure that this list is complete by this time next year.

Ok, there we have it: My New Years resolutions for 2013. Now to enjoy the rest of the festive period and eat as much as I can before the detox begins. I’ll keep you posted on how I’m getting on, and make sure you get in touch with your resolutions as well.

Brilliant Baths

I have selected a few of my favorite baths from the range at Better Bathrooms. From traditional to modern if you are after a new bath for 2013 they will have something you will love.

Confessions of a design geek

A big thank you to Zoe Brewer from my interior stylist as  I am very happy to announce that this week I won the much sought after, limited edition ‘Confessions of a design geek’ book by Katie Treggiden. The book is beautifully laid out with inspirational and informative interviews from well known designers such as Alexandre Bettler and Wim Crouwel. I went to Wim Crouwel’s design exhibition in London last year so it was great to learn more about his design work. I don’t want to spoil it for you so will leave it there but suggest you all go and grab a copy of this for yourselves – go on, treat yourself it is Christmas after all!!

Picking The Christmas Tree

As a child the Christmas tree was always put up by my parents on the first weekend in December. I would always be allowed to help pick the tree with my brother and chose a new decoration from the garden centre each year. This meant each year we always had a lovely time putting up the tree talking about which year we had picked previous decorations and reliving the excitement of when we had slected our new decoration. This was something I was keen to do with my children so now every year we do the same, go to the garden centre, pick the tree and select one (or two!) new decoration each.  I am not one of these people who likes the tree to be colour coordinated, I like the tree to have personality and be an almost diary of past Christmases with a selection of different colours, shapes and edible treats to see.

So last night (much later than previous years) we went to the local garden centre and picked out our tree, making sure it was the correct height, correct shape and most importantly could be squeezed into the car – it was certainly a squeeze but well worth the cramped car journey home although I’m not sure the dog would agree!!

It looks fantastic but not enough decorations on it yet.  I always place our tree in front of the window so the lights will reflect against the glass creating an area of light in the living room.  We will get the many boxes of decorations out of the loft tonight and continue Christmas tree decorating tomorrow – I can’t wait as for me it signifies the start of Christmas. 

Beautiful Bathroom Design

I came across these images whilst looking on one of my favourite blogs www.mixandchic.com and I just had to share them with you all! 

Getting Ready for Christmas: The Importance of a Great Looking Bathroom

With most of us about to expect hordes of visitors over the next month it is vital that the bathroom not only impresses but is somewhere for us to be proud of. We all demand peak performance, coupled with a relaxing and inviting environment. We ask a lot of our bathrooms, but in order to really enjoy them, it’s vital that they not only perform to the highest standards, but are pleasant and comfortable place to be as well. It’s about creating a balance of form and function, and here’s how to go about it.

Firstly, a deep clean and fresh coat of paint will give you a solid foundation upon which to build, as will replacing any tile grouting or waterproof sealant, this is inexpensive and will transform your bathroom almost instantly. Next, in order to maintain a calm and organised bathroom, without toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning products being left out to distract attention and detract from your décor, some bathroom furniture is a must. Just two or three units in a matching finish will provide you with ample storage capacity and ensure that you can keep your surfaces clear and tidy. A fitted vanity unit, a wall-mounted cabinet and a freestanding Tallboy will lend your bathroom a thought-out, designed feel and make your bathroom feel like an extension of your living space, rather than a simply functional addition to your home.

Bathroom furniture designers are releasing new styles and finishes every week, but a furniture set in a matching natural wood finish will create the most dramatic and high value impression. An illuminated bathroom mirror will help to enhance the sensation of light and space in your bathroom, as well as creating a focal modern design feature for your bathroom, and it will also help to offset the fact that your new bathroom furniture will be taking up some space. This way you can achieve a balance of practicality and design.

A heated chrome towel rail in place of a radiator is another wonderful upgrade that will lend a real contemporary flair to your bathroom design, as ensure that your bathroom is cosy and comfortable and that you have access to warm, dry towels whenever you need them.

By adopting these ideas into your own bathroom, you will create a room that functions to high standards, is eminently practical, and yet makes use of all of the best aspects of contemporary design. With only a few weeks and till the big day it would be wise to pick a couple of options from this list and leave the rest until the new year, I hope you have found these tips useful and please feel free to send me some photos of your bathroom improvements, I always love to receive them.